1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a new and improved trailer hitch, and more particularly, to a new and improved adjustable trailer hitch which may be removably fitted to substantially any trailer with a minimum of maneuvering of the vehicle to which the hitch is attached. The device can be removably mounted to the bumper of a car, truck or other vehicle and is fitted with a rotatable, hinged arm which is itself extensible and retractable to permit locking of the ball carried by the arm to the trailer ball receptacle when the trailer is located in substantially any position within reach of the extended arm on the hitch.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Heretofore, various trailer hitches have been designed to removably lock to the ball receptacle of a trailering vehicle, such as a boat or cattle trailer. Most of these hitches are mounted in fixed relationship to the towing vehicle and cannot be removed from the vehicle without undergoing an extensive unbolting procedure. Furthermore, these hitches are characteristically mounted with the carrying ball very close to the vehicle frame, and the vehicle must, therefore, necessarily be backed very close to and in precise alignment with the trailer tongue in order to effect proper coupling of the trailer to the hitch. As a result, during the backing operation the vehicle is frequently damaged by bumping the trailer tongue, and unless the ball attached to the hitch is in perfect alignment with the trailer ball receptacle, the receptacle will not lock positively onto the ball and extensive additional maneuvering of the vehicle or trailer tongue is frequently necessary to achieve a firm and positive lock. This problem is, of course, intensified under circumstances where there is a large load on the trailer tongue, or where the trailer is in an inaccessible position which prevents ready maneuvering of the trailer ball receptacle into alignment with the ball located on the hitch.
Many attempts have been made to develop an adjustable trailer hitch equipped with a ball which may be extended and retracted from the vehicle frame in order to minimize the problem of hitch-to-trailer alignment. These efforts have chiefly taken the form of connectors which are telescoping in nature, and which may be lengthened or shortened as desired by the removal and insertion of pins from a telescoping ball-carrying member. However, many of these devices are functionally limited since the ball can be moved only on a single axis extending to and from the vehicle frame. Accordingly, if after a towing vehicle is backed up the ball receptacle is located on an axis not in line with the extension and retraction axis, then the same problem of maneuvering the ball receptacle on the trailer into alignment with the ball on the trailer hitch is presented. Furthermore, the telescoping hitch is subject to the disadvantage of rusting and caking with dirt, which impedes the telescoping operation.
Accordingly, an object of the invention is to provide an extensible and retractable trailer hitch which is designed to fit on substantially all existing truck bumpers without the necessity of modifying the bumpers.
Another object of this invention is to provide an improved adjustable trailer hitch, the locking mechanism of which is capable of being initially extended independently of the carrying vehicle to cooperate with the locking apparatus of a trailer, and subsequently retracted into towing configuration.
Another object of the invention is to provide an adjustable trailer hitch which is capable of being extended, removably attached to a trailer, and retracted by first extending the hitch by moving the vehicle forward, and subsequently backing the towing vehicle to effect retraction of the hitch into towing configuration.
Still another object of this invention is to provide an improved adjustable trailer hitch which may be optionally fitted with a shock absorber, the ball of which hitch may be coupled with a ball receptacle located on a trailer under circumstances where the ball receptacle is located in substantially any position within the extension range of the ball from the hitch.
Yet another object of this invention is to provide an improved adjustable trailer hitch which is characterized by great strength and which permits positive locking of the ball and/or other locking mechanism located on the adjustable portion of the hitch with a ball receptacle or alternative mating receptacle of a trailer without the necessity of additionally maneuvering the ball receptacle with respect to the ball, or the carrying vehicle with respect to the ball receptacle, after the ball and ball receptacle have been initially positioned within a predetermined distance of each other.
A further object of the invention is to provide an improved trailer hitch capable of being fitted with an optional built-in shock absorber, which hitch is characterized by a hinged, folding outer arm and inner arm that permits maneuvering of a lock means on the outer arm into locking position with respect to a mating lock receptacle located on the tongue or frame of a trailer after the vehicle carrying the trailer hitch has been backed into position such that the trailer lock receptacle is within extension range of the adjustable lock means located on the outer arm.
A still further object of the invention is to provide an improved adjustable trailer hitch having an optional shock absorbing function and a hinged outer arm and inner arm capable of extending from and folding into a frame or housing, the ball and/or alternative locking mechanism of which trailer hitch can be maneuvered into substantially any position within the range of the extended outer arm of the hitch after the vehicle carrying the hitch is backed into close proximity to a trailer, the ball and/or alternative locking mechanism subsequently locked onto a ball or alternative receptacle located on the trailer, and the adjustable trailer hitch then automatically retracted into towing configuration by initially pulling the vehicle forward and then backing the vehicle carrying the hitch to lock the hitch into towing configuration.
Another object of this invention is to provide a new and improved adjustable trailer hitch having a pair of arms connected by a cooperating hinge, one of the arms being pivotally attached to the hitch frame or housing and the other carrying a ball or alternative locking mechanism, which locking mechanism can be maneuvered within a specified, selected distance of a ball and/or alternative mating receptacle on a trailer, and subsequently adjusted to positively lock the ball or alternative locking mechanism to the receptacle without the necessity of further maneuvering the vehicle with respect to the trailer.
Yet another object of this invention is to provide an adjustable trailer hitch having a hinged, folding arm, one end of which arm may be optionally equipped with a shock absorber and the other end of which is removably and retractably mounted on the bumper or frame of a truck, automobile, motor home or other vehicle, to occupy minimum of space when in folded or retracted position.
A still further object of the invention is to provide an adjustable trailer hitch equipped with an inner arm and an outer arm connected by a hinge, the inner arm of which is in pivotal cooperation with the hitch frame or housing and the outer arm of which is fitted with a ball coupling or alternative coupling mechanism and which is capable of receiving a shock absorber, which trailer hitch may be initially bolted or otherwise attached to the rear or front of a vehicle; the vehicle maneuvered into position with respect to a trailer; the ball coupling locked onto the trailer; the vehicle pulled forward to fully extend the trailer hitch arm; the vehicle then backed to effect automatic positive retraction of the arms into the hitch housing; and the trailer subsequently towed without the necessity of manually locking the hitch into retracted position.